


of sandwiches, demons, and love

by species_baby



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Demon Summoning, Domestic Fluff, Dream and Sapnap are Best Friends, Dream is a good friend, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff, How Do I Tag, Light Angst, M/M, Oblivious Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Pining, Sandwiches, Sleepy Cuddles, Soft Karl Jacobs, Soft Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Supernatural Elements, but sapnap is extremely oblivious, dnf is there but not really, i dont think this classifies as a slow burn, karlnap is very soft, no beta we die like Mexican dream, these are characters not people !!, they are in love, watch my writing style shift half way through, wow im bad at tagging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:42:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29957013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/species_baby/pseuds/species_baby
Summary: Sapnap accidentally summons a demon while trying to make himself a sandwich. Then Sapnap not so accidentally befriends the demon because Karl is surprisingly nice for an entity typically characterized as evil. The issue now is that Sapnap's great new friendship is quickly becoming a crush with every nickname, joke, and casual touch he shares with Karl.aka: I saw a tumblr post about demons popping in to eat sandwiches and my dumb goblin brain said karlnap so here we are.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Karl Jacobs/Sapnap
Comments: 22
Kudos: 209





	1. sandwiches

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is extremely self indulgent and way too long. I have fallen into the karlnap hole and I can't get out, someone please send help. Comments are literally my favorite thing ever because I love hearing what people think of my work!
> 
> Disclaimer: this is shipping personas not actual people. If any of the creators written in this story express discomfort with their character being written into fiction this story will be edited or taken down accordingly.
> 
> Enjoy :]

Sapnap would call himself a pretty regular guy. He wasn’t extraordinary but he had enough funny stories to keep people entertained at awkward reunions and family dinners. He was charismatic and funny enough to turn strangers into friends, and kind and genuine enough to keep them. He went to a nice university and was stressed out of his mind all of the time. He passed hours playing video games and yelling at a blue light screen and hoping that maybe one day his 300 viewer count on Twitch would go up. In summary, Sapnap was pretty regular. He had his hobbies just like everyone else and he lived his days (some more than others) and he made himself sandwiches when he was hungry. 

So when Sapnap was making himself a simple sandwich for lunch on a lazy free Sunday and the mustard he put on the bread looked weirdly like an occult symbol he thought it was especially strange. He could move on from strange occult symbols, he’d tell his friends and they’d think he was exaggerating and he would laugh knowing the truth. It was a bit bizarre, but normal enough to move on. What Sapnap  _ couldn’t  _ handle was the demon that popped into his kitchen looking confused as anything.

Sapnap, not knowing what to do and deciding that this level of outlandishness was a step above what his regular self could deal with, pulled out two more pieces of bread. He gently handed the original sandwich to the demon and then stepped back cautiously, carefully, waiting for some horrific hellfire to encase him or for some weird ruin to ink itself into his arm. When nothing happened Sapnap went and made a second sandwich, aware this time of making sure the mustard was as normal and non-demon summoning as possible. The demon just watched.

They didn’t say anything to each other the first time. They just sat in the kitchen and ate. Sapnap pretended not to be bothered while the demon was there but the minute he left Sapnap felt himself slip onto his kitchen floor. The cool linoleum supported his hands as Sapnap’s breathing made him light enough to float. His head was submerged in a sink full of cotton candy water and he couldn’t process what just happened. Demons were real. Demons were real and he had just eaten lunch with one. 

Sapnap went to bed hoping (not praying, he didn’t know what might happen if he prayed) that the minute his body conformed into its spot on the mattress he would wake up and realize that demons weren’t real and he just had an incredibly insane lucid dream. He’d never lucid dreamed before but he’d never seen a fucking demon before either. 

Nope, he slept normally and demons were real.  _ Fuck _ . 

Sapnap tried, he really did try to go back to normal. He wanted to act like he hadn’t eaten the most silent lunch with a demon after accidentally summoning the bastard using mustard. How would he even begin to explain that to anyone? Sapnap was a regular guy. He had his quirks and his fair share of pretty out there experiences but he was still regular. The stories he had to tell were supposed to be of crazy clutches in video games and wack people he passed on the street, not demons. But here he was. 

A week has passed since Sapnap’s sandwich demon incident, he hadn’t streamed and he hadn’t made another sandwich. He didn’t think he would ever make another sandwich again or touch that cursed mustard bottle but he didn’t want to let down his loyal 300 viewers. He opened up OBS and Twitch and got his setup and clicked the start stream icon in the corner of his screen. The first 30 minutes of his stream were pretty typical and then- then the viewer count started to rise. 300 became 600 became 900 become 2,000. 

“Holy shit guys! 2,000 viewers? This is insane!” Sapnap clapped a hand over his mouth in shock and laughed with disbelief, “Oh my God, thank you!” He was floating. In a different way from that fateful afternoon in the kitchen. He was high in the clouds and floating with a clear head. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is amazing!” 

Eventually it came time to say goodbye to his massively grown audience. He ended the stream and leaned back to stare at his ceiling. There were no words exchanged when the demon came, but he did give a sandwich. His viewers went up far too quickly to be just dumb luck. Fuck it, Sapnap was craving a sandwhich anyway. 

The second time he made a sandwich since the demon incident and surprise surprise a poof of smoke and a biblical being was standing in his kitchen. Sapnap had prepared two sandwiches this time. 

Sapnap raised his hand and waved awkwardly, “Hi,” God he wanted to faceplant. How does one go about initiating conversation with a demon?

The demon seemed hesitant and then, “Hi. You make really good sandwiches.”

Sapnap felt himself smile, “Thanks, my names Sapnap,” and then, “Oh fuck. I probably shouldn’t have said that, should I?” He clapped a hand over his mouth, in absolute disbelief that he just told a  _ demon  _ his name. Wasn’t the number one rule to never tell a demon your name? Well Sapnap just immediately broke it. 

The demon giggled and Sapnap wanted to slap himself for thinking it was cute, “Don’t worry I won’t steal your soul. I’m Karl.”

“Well Karl, it’s nice to meet you and thank you for not trying to drag me down to the depths of hell.” Sapnap knows he should be feeling wary right now but Karl has a candy smile and honeydew voice. Sapnap had always been weak for boys with fluffy hair. 

Karl laughed again, “I might change my mind if you stop making me sandwiches,” Sapnap would have been nervous if not for the playful grin on Karl’s face and the kind glint in his eye. 

Sapnap smiled wide, “Oh woe is me!” he handed one of the sandwiches to Karl, “Forced into a life of sandwich making, how will I ever escape?” He motioned for Karl to follow and they sat down at the tiny kitchen counter Sapnap had. 

They eat and they laugh and Sapnap admits to himself that Karl is remarkably pretty for a demon. He looks mostly human other than the small horns peeking through his hair, baby wings on his back, and a tail that seemed to move with a mind of its own. Even his eyes are surprisingly normal, despite that they change in a way reminiscent to cats. 

Lunch is over about as soon as it began and Karl is just about to leave but Sapnap needs to make sure he’ll come back, so Sapnap can learn more. That’s not the only reason but Sapnap doesn’t exactly want to dive into the fluttery feeling in his gut right now.

“You’ll be back right?”

“Will you make more sandwiches?”

“Of course.”

“Then, yes.” Sapnap felt giddy.

“Oh, and Karl?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

Karl smiled softly, “For what?”

“The luck.”

Karl laughed and before he poofed away said, “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about Sappitus.”

Sapnap realizes he’s smiling a moment after Karl leaves and he wonders how long his cheeks will hurt because he is certain he was grinning like an idiot the entire time. Karl and his sweetness and stupid nickname even though they were practically strangers. 

By the time the fourth sandwich date rolls around, Sapnap and Karl have developed a kind of comfortable familiarity. Casual touches that don’t burn as much. A brush of the hands here and a bump of the shoulders there. Laughing at stupid jokes and serene silences. Sapnap always finds himself smiling so widely that his face hurts but he isn’t bothered. Karl starts coming at all times of the day. He seems to know when Sapnap will be free to hang out. Sapnap wonders if that has to do with demon powers or the fact that he has started to free up his schedule in order to spend time with Karl. Sapnap never thought that he would end up cuddling with a demon while watching Cartoon Network. Karl especially loved the cartoons and Sapnap especially loved when Karl was happy. 

Karl popped into his kitchen and grabbed the second sandwich off the counter (Sapnap had started always making two sandwiches), “Hey Sappy Nappy.”

“Hey Karl,” Sapnap turned around and gave Karl a smile.

“My cute little housewife Sapnap,” Karl giggled and Sapnap glared at him.

“You know I don’t have to give you sandwiches for free,” Karl looked offended, “I could start charging. Make a little sandwich business.”

Karl gasped, mock offended, “You wouldn’t.”

“I would.”

Karl huffs, “I can’t believe how rude you are,” He smiles, “You’re very lucky you’re cute, nimrod.”

Sapnap, caught off guard and feeling all sorts of giddy, just knows that he looks like an idiot when he blushes red and sputters out a non-response. Karl is now laughing and Sapnap finds it impossible to tear his eyes away. Karl is beautiful and happy and Sapnap wants to keep this moment in his memory forever. Usually, if asked what type of movie his life would be, Sapnap would probably answer slice-of-life or maybe action (wishful thinking). Right now, standing in his kitchen and watching Karl, the  _ demon  _ laugh, Sapnap would say romance. There’s a warm bubbling feeling in his stomach, which Sapnap is pretty sure is considered butterflies. Karl makes him so soft and Sapnap no longer cares that his face is still flushed and that his bread has probably gotten soggy. Karl is here with him, happy, and Sapnap feels like it's everything he wants. 

They continue to have sandwich dates and Sapnap’s Twitch viewership continues to grow and he keeps ignoring the nervousness he feels around Karl because this is a perfectly good friendship and why should it matter that Sapnap thinks Karl is cute? Although it's getting more difficult to put aside with the increased amount of joking flirting and casual touch that come with knowing a person better.

By the time that sandwich dates have become a staple of Sapnap’s routine and he gets used to demons existing and a demon (although he could never picture Karl as demonic) visiting his house regularly a second one shows up. This demon's name is Dream and he has Sapnap fearful for his life in the first minute of their encounter and rolling with laughter in the next hour of his visit. 

Now, Sapnap has two demons frequenting his house as often as they can. Sapnap isn’t sure why Dream and Karl come back so much but he thinks it has something to do with homemade sandwiches and a break from hell. (He hopes that Karl comes back for him). 

All three of them are eating sandwiches and playing Uno (Dream is about to win, that bastard) when another demon pops up in the middle of the table causing the Uno cards to go flying all around the room. Dream shouts in anger, Sapnap is secretly happy Dream can’t win, and Karl’s grin is ginormous.

“Big Q!”

“Karl!”

Sapnap looks between them, “You guys know each other?”

Karl smiles and nods, “Yep, sure do. Big Q is an absolute legend.”

Big Q bats his eyelashes, “Oh you flatterer”

Dream just scoffs, “You mean absolute menace.”

Big Q gasps in mock offense and Karl breaks into a fit of giggles.

“Wait, wait, wait, do all of you know each other?”

“Yeah! How do you think Dream found out about your awesome sandwiches?”

“What the hell Karl? Why’d you go letting more demons know?”

“Hey I was just promoting business.”

Sapnap gapes, “This is not a business.”

“You said it was!”

Sapnap struggles to remember what exactly Karl was referring to, “Karl, Oh my goodness that was a joke!” Karl sputtered, “And months ago.”

Karl laughs and shrugs before pausing, “I can tell them to leave, if you really want.”

Both Dream and Big Q start making a ruckus to protest, trying to justify their presence in Sapnap’s kitchen. Sapnap just sighs, “No, it’s fine. I just can't believe you told kleptomaniac Dream and apparently menace Big Q about my sandwiches.”

“It’s not like I had a choice, they kept pestering me about going to the overworld. And Dream? Kleptomaniac?”

“Two of my hoodies, my salt shaker, and three socks from  _ separate  _ pairs have disappeared. Everytime I bring it up he just changes the subject or laughs. I know he’s taking them.”

“At least I’m not taking your soul.”

Three choruses of “Shut up Dream” are followed immediately by Dream’s entire lung deflating as he wheezes like a tea kettle.

Sapnap soon learns that Big Q’s name is in fact Quackity, Dream’s favorite color is green, and Karl likes to write stories. They keep coming back. They keep telling him things that make them friends. Secrets about themselves, little tidbits of information. Sapnap just listens and they keep coming back. Sometimes all three, sometimes just two, and sometimes only one. (Sapnap would never tell anyone but he likes it the most when it's just him and Karl, like the first few weeks all over again.) Occasionally a random demon will pop in for a sandwich and a chat. Sapnap accommodates them all. He likes to talk to them. They’re mostly polite and if they’re not Sapnap is convinced that Dream fights them. He’s a little wild like that. Although many other demons come to Sapnaps place, Quackity, Dream, and Karl are consistent. It's absolutely psychotic but at some point, they become Sapnap’s best friends. Sapnap’s best friends are demons. Holy shit.

“Listen Sapnap, I’m telling you that Karl took your sweater,” It's just him and Dream today. Dream is lounging out on Sapnaps bed like a cat trying to take over the entire space. Sapnap is currently searching through his closet for the sweater that was just a little nicer than the others. 

“He literally did not. I know you and your sneaky little hands took it, and you can have it tomorrow but I need that sweater right now.”

“Ok first off why do you need it so bad and second I swear Karl took it,” Sapnap rolls his eyes, “Come on now, I took your green sweatshirt but I didn’t take the sweater. It’s not even my style!”

“I knew you took that sweatshirt!”

“Not the point.”

“And I don’t need it that bad, but- but I’m going on a date and I wanted to look nice.”

Dream shot up from the bed and stared at Sapnap with, shock maybe?

“What?” Dream narrowed his eyes, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’re going on a date?!” He ran over and grabbed Sapnap by the shoulders. Sapnap brushed him off haphazardly and continued looking through his closet.

“Yes? I don’t get why you’re making a huge deal out of it.”

“What do you mean ‘making a huge deal’? You’re going on a date!”

Sapnap just nods, “Mhm.”

“But what about Karl?” At that Sapnap looks up. 

“What about Karl?”

Dream tilts his head to the side, “Are you kidding me? You guys are always flirting with each other.”

“We are not. And even if we were,” Dream levels him with a look, “which we are not, it’s just joking around.”

“Ok, is it just joking around when you stare at him literally  _ all the time _ ?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Ohohoho but I think you do.” Dream starts to circle Sapnap like a cat.

Sapnap sighs, “We are just  _ friends _ .”

Dream grins, “You could be more.”

“No,” Sapnap nudges Dream back to the bed, “No, we couldn’t.”

“You like him, he likes you. I don’t see the issue.”

“The issue is that both claims you just made are completely inaccurate.” That’s not exactly true but it’s not like Sapnap can admit to  _ Dream _ , of all people, that he might have a tiny crush on Karl. 

Dream groans loudly and Sapnap would’ve laughed if this was any other conversation, “You are both idiots. You do realize I can read emotions right? I know what you’re feeling for Karl is not just an extra strong bromance.” Dream picks out a shirt from Sapnap’s closest, “Talk to me when you figure out what everyone already knows.” Dream poofs out of Sapnaps room to go terrorize some people or steal, probably.

“We have like one other friend, Dream.” Sapnap’s sentence falls off when he realizes Dream is no longer present. Stupid demons and their unfair powers. What Sapnap would give to teleport. He picks up a random sweater, not as nice as the one he wanted, and heads off to his date because Dream is wrong. Karl may be really nice and cute and have a laugh like little happy bells but so what. And yeah, maybe Sapnap catches himself staring more often than not but that doesn’t mean  _ shit _ . It’s just a little infatuation that will go away with time. Plus, what would Dream know? From what Sapnap’s heard and seen he flirts constantly and rejects everyone because he’s been stuck on one guy for  _ years _ . Yeah, Sapnap will not be taking advice from Dream.

The date is boring and Sapnap can’t stop thinking about Karl.  _ Fuck _ . Sapnap will totally be taking advice from Dream. 

It’s at this point in his life that Sapnap feels he should probably take a moment to figure out how exactly he managed to fall for a demon. All he wanted to do was make a sandwich. Just have a little lunch. Yet here he is at 3 AM after reaching an all time high of 10,000 viewers on his stream (they just keep going up, Sapnap is pretty sure he knows why) laying on the ground in his living room talking to Dream about how beautiful Karl is when he laughs. 

“It's just- he’s so sweet,” Sapnap sighs, “And unfairly pretty. How did this even happen?” Sapnap turns his head towards Dream, “This is your fault.”

Dream shifts on the floor so he’s laying on his side facing Sapnap, he raises an eyebrow, “How is this my fault?”

Sapnap sits up, “You brought it to my attention!” Dream scoffs, “What? I could’ve been oblivious and date that kinda interesting guy and not be in love with a fucking demon!”

Dream looks at him and Sapnap realizes a little too late what he's said, “In love?”

“You know what I mean. What am I supposed to say?” Sapnap lies back down, “In like? That’s stupid, we aren’t highschoolers.”

“What’s a highschool?” 

Sapnap pauses and looks at Dream only to realize he’s smirking. He punches Dream’s arm, “Don’t be an idiot. I know you know, dumbass.” Dream lets out a long and painful sounding wheeze and Sapnap finds himself laughing along, “Why do you do that?”

Dream eventually gets a hold of himself, “It is so incredibly funny to see the look on your face.”

“You just say shit like that to get a reaction.”

“Obviously.”

“You’re so dumb.”

Dream wheezes again, “I’m not the one asking a demon for relationship advice.”

Sapnap glares at the ceiling, “First off, I’m not asking you for advice, I’m ranting. I know for a fact you are way more hopeless than me,” Dream makes an offended noise, “We both know it's true,” Dream grumbles but stays quiet, “Second, I’m only ranting to you because you know Karl. And who else would I go to? Quackity?”

Dream nods, “True.”

“Third, you are literally the one at fault for making me aware of my feelings so you need to take responsibility.”

Dream rolls onto his back again, “Oh come on now. I am not hopeless.”

“Debatable.”

Dream hits his arm, “And we both know the reason you came to me is because you  _ love  _ me so so much,”

“That is not true in the slightest.”

“Oh it definitely is. I can read emotions, Sapnap.”

Sapnap goes wide eyed. He keeps forgetting. How does he keep forgetting? It is silent for a moment too long, “Screw you and screw your demon powers.”

Dream probably bursts a lung with how loud he laughs. It sounds that way at least. Doesn’t matter anyway. He wouldn’t die. He’s a demon with unfair demon magic that Sapnap is getting real tired of. 


	2. demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sapnap realizes his tiny crush might be something a little more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi !! 🙋 Here is chapter 2. We are well on our way to the end. To everyone who left kudos, bookmarked, or commented: thank you, it made me smile :]
> 
> I don't have much else to say, so onto the chapter !

The next couple of weeks pass without incident, other than Big Q needing to crash at Sapnap’s place after angering some really important demon called The Blade. Sapnap doubts that there's any real danger because when Quackity was explaining the situation to all of them, Dream would not stop laughing. Although, Dream is psychotic, so who knows. Quackity deems it safe to go back to hell in four days and leaves with a sandwich for later and the knowledge that Sapnap _like_ likes Karl. (Sapnap blames Dream, he probably told Big Q). He doesn’t know when it happened but now both Quackity and Dream know, and that's dangerous. So now Sapnap is freaking out a little bit. He is sure that Dream and Quackity would never tell Karl, _on purpose_. It is very likely that after a slip of the tongue, Sapnap would never be able to look Karl in the eyes without feeling awkward again. And Sapnap really likes looking at Karl’s eyes. They're very pretty, and so comforting, and- he’s getting distracted. So here Sapnap is panicking and all over the place and that’s exactly when Karl poofs onto his kitchen table.

“Hi Sappy!” Sapnap melts. He thought seeing Karl would stress him out even more but all he can feel is relief. It’s a little bit wonderful that Karl’s simple presence makes him happier.

“Hey nimrod,” Karl pouts. It’s unfairly charming.

“You’re so mean. Steal my word and then use it to insult me,” Karl hops off the kitchen table and moves over so that he stands with his shoulder touching Sapnaps. 

“What? You don’t like my endearing nickname?”

“You are literally so dumb.” But Karl is smiling and Sapnap is smiling and they’re standing, shoulders touching in a space big enough to be far apart. To be cold. Karl chose to stand close enough so that when he laughs Sapnap can feel his body shake. He chose to stand close enough so when Sapnap wants to look him in the eyes, he must tilt his head upwards just a bit. The one inch height difference could only be noticeable at their proximity. 

Sapnap places a hand on his heart in a wide overly dramatic sweep and closes his eyes, “You wound me good sir,” the fake British accent is painfully forced but when Sapnap opens his eyes again he sees Karl laughing. And Karl is so close. And Sapnap is so whipped because in that moment he realizes that he never ever wants Karl to leave his side, he can’t say that though. It would ruin him because maybe Karl would leave, or become distant or awkward. Sapnap can’t handle Karl not coming to stand directly next to him anymore. So he ignores his little realization like mature adults do, “Want to go get your ass kicked in Mario Kart?”

“Oh you are so on.” 

Sapnap goes on with his life. And he allows himself to be silently in love with a demon. The thing is liking Karl and being in love with Karl are two very different things. It slowly creeps into Sapnap’s mind like an epiphany and then it just becomes fact. The sky is blue, 2+2=4, Dream stole his favorite mug; and Sapnap is unequivocally, irretrievably in love with Karl. Even though his world is tilted on its axis, Sapnap goes on with his life. The differences manifest and make themselves at home until they become the norm.

Karl calls him Sappy or Sappitus or any other nickname.

_I love you._

Karl laughs at a bad joke until his eyes water.

_I love you._

Karl moves so that he is shoulder to shoulder with Sapnap.

_I love you._

Karl starts stealing his sweaters despite hell definitely being too hot for them.

_I love you._

Karl comes into his kitchen, bright as anything, and picks up the second sandwich he knows is for him.

_I love you. I love you. I love you._

Every interaction, every fleeting touch is all too much and too little at the same time. Sapnap is consumed by his emotions and he wants to allow himself to be completely engulfed by his love but that's not fair to him or Karl. Sapnap refuses to fuck up a perfectly good friendship jsut because his heart had to get all fluttery and his mind had to get stuck on Karl. 

So life goes on because no matter how cute Karl is, no matter how much Dream calls him an idiot, and no matter how much Quackity threatens to just tell Karl himself; Sapnap knows that his love is a hopeless one. A wonderful, exciting, and completely one-sided and impossible love. Because Karl is amazing in every single way and Sapnap is just a regular guy. The most interesting thing about him is his career (streaming on Twitch, but Karl helped him get there) and his friends (literal demons, that Karl introduced him to). Sapnap had never really felt upset about being entirely average before but now it hurts. Karl will find some incredible and powerful demon and Sapnap will just be the human guy who sometimes makes him sandwiches. He has resigned himself to this fate. Because at the end of it all, if Karl is still in his life it's worth pushing away some pesky feelings. Anything would be worth it for Karl to stay. 

It’s Saturday and Dream, Quackity, and Karl have recently left after a nice morning of waffles, insults, and videogames. Although Sapnap may have struggled to listen to the conversation once or twice because Karl was cuddled up to his side and entirely too sleepy to register that he was basically hugging Sapnap. Sapnap loves them but it is quite nice to have a quiet moment where Dream won’t mock him for not making a move, Quackity won’t be obscenely loud, and Karl won’t be giving him mini heart attacks. Sapnap needs some alone time, just to calm down and relax. He might take a nap or go on a walk. Something just for him. And then he hears it. The sound of a divine being popping into his home. Sapnap is used to it at this point. Quackity, Karl, and Dream are the only three that return but a couple of times a week a random demon will pop in for a sandwich and a chat.

The thing is, demons have a specific sound and presence. And whatever is in his house right now does not carry the heat that demons do. The inane feeling of comfortable chaos hasn’t made itself known in his chest. This thing is not a demon, or at least not a regular demon. Sapnap is extremely wary as he makes his way back to the kitchen to see─ _what the fuck?_ A fucking angel, a biblical being with white robes and wings, and glowing perfect complexion. The frigid chill that had swept the room suddenly makes sense.

“You’re missing your halo,” Fuck. What if the angel kills him? Demons are nothing like Sapnap was told. They aren’t evil or cruel or malicious. In this backwards world did he just insult an ethereal being that would cut him down without hesitation? 

“I will have you know,” a British accent, strange, “that I altered my appearance so that your human mind could comprehend what it was seeing without you literally dying,” so the angel didn’t want to kill him.

“Oh, would you like a sandwich?”

The angel looked at him like he was insane, “What are you on about? I am here to do a job.”

“Ok, do you want a sandwich though?”

The angel sputtered indignantly, “No I don’t want a sandwich,” he straightened his robes, “I am here to examine an area of high demon activity. We thought there might be an unlicensed summoner roaming around.” For a moment, just a brief moment Sapnap was worried that he was living in close proximity to an illegal demon summoner before he realized. 

“I’m going to make you a sandwich,” the angel opens his mouth to protest but Sapnap put a hand up, “and I’m going to explain everything.” At that the angel shut his mouth. With apparently nothing left to say the angel just stood there awkwardly. He seemed to not want to move, to keep up a professional appearance or something. It was so so different from the demon's easy movement that Sapnap almost wanted to laugh. There was a stiff British angel standing in his kitchen waiting for him to explain an even more absurd situation, “I’m Sapnap, by the way.”

“George.” Sapnap finishes making the sandwiches and then hands one plate to George who looks uncomfortable, “Are we just going to stand?”

“We could sit on the couch if you want,”

George makes a disgusted face, “No I don’t think so.”

Sapnap shrugs, “Alright,” and takes a bite of his sandwich. George looks at him expectantly, still just awkwardly holding the sandwich, “What?”

“Are you just going to eat or will you actually explain?”

Sapnap sighs and sets his sandwich down, “Ok but you have to hear me out,” George nods for him to continue, “I’m the summoner,” George looks like he’s about to say something but Sapnap stops him, “Well, I’m kind of the summoner.”

“How can you be kind of the summoner? Are you illegally bringing demons to the overworld to bargain or not? It should be a yes or no answer.”

“Well,” Sapnap fiddles with his hands, “Yes and no?”

George scoffs, “Explain. Now.”

“The thing is, the first time I didn’t mean to summon a demon. I was making a sandwich and apparently accidentally drew a summoning symbol or something with the mustard and Karl just kinda appeared in my living room. And then he came back again and again and he brought some of his friends. Y’know only three demons actually visit me consistently and we’ve never made any contracts or shaken any hands in demon-y deals or whatever. All we do is hang out and sometimes I make them sandwiches.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Three minor demons shouldn’t have registered as much as they did. Normally we don’t bother with summoners, but you had a high amount of raw concentrated energy here.”

“Well sometimes other demons show up. But they only really chat and sometimes have a sandwich.”

“The amount of demons coming wouldn’t change the energy that drastically. If they’re all low level then they’re not the cause of the energy.”

“I don’t know what to tell you man, but I haven’t been summoning. They just come to chill.”

“Who are the two other demons?”

“What?”

“You said three demons visit you routinely and I’m assuming one of them is whoever Karl is, because you’re close enough to know his name.”

“Oh yeah,” Sapnap doesn’t know why he pauses. Well, maybe he does. He can’t help but think revealing Dream and Quackity might get them in trouble. The way George is looking at him so expectantly, Sapnap can’t help but feel uneasy, “Yeah, Quackity,” There’s something like recognition in George’s eye for a moment but it passes just as quickly as it came. He’s good at keeping a neutral expression, “and Dream.” Maybe he’s not so good at keeping a neutral expression because George’s face shifts through so many emotions Sapnap can’t even begin to guess what he’s feeling. And now Sapnap’s worried because he probably got Dream in trouble.

George runs a tired hand over his face in an attempt to school his expression again, “Oh my God.” It doesn’t really work.

“Please don’t tell me I got Dream in trouble.”

“He got himself in trouble.”

“He’ll be ok though, right?”

George smiles, “I don’t think they could hurt him if they tried.”

Sapnap wants to ask who “they” is but he doesn’t believe this is the time. George looks like he’s constantly faltering between pissed, fond, and just fucking tired, “Are you ok man?”

George laughs, “Just peachy,” he picks up the sandwich, “I’m taking this.” Sapnap nods and hopes that his smile looks comforting instead of awkward, “And tell Dream─” George seems to think for a moment before deciding against it, “Nevermind.” George disappears and Sapnap is so tempted to draw a summoning circle specifically to tell Dream what just happened. He probably should warn him but he’ll just wait until the next time Dream pops into his apartment uninvited. He’s got questions. 

Sapnap finds Dream rifling through his closet two days later, “Your little angel friend stopped by.”

Dream stills in a way Sapnap has never seen before. He was a statue for just a moment in time where silence was the only companion Sapnap had. And then he whips around and shoots across the room so that his nose is almost touching Sapnap’s, “George?”

Sapnap shoves Dreams face away, “Personal space dude,” Dream has started pacing, “And yeah George. He popped in because there was some super highly concentrated demon activity in this area.”

“Wonder why.” The reply sounds quiet and not as snarky as Dream intended it to be but he doesn’t seem to care. He’s walking the length of Sapnap’s room over and over again, freaking out for a reason Sapnap can't discern until─

“Wait a minute?” Sapnap laughs, “Is George the guy?”

“What guy?”

“The guy Quackity’s always making fun of you for being in love with. Y’know, your knight in glowing armor, your sweet sarcastic love,” Sapnap sings the last bit, “The one that got away.”

“No. Shut up, none of that is true.”

Sapnap laughs, “I don’t need stupid demon powers to tell you it is.”

“I don’t know why Quackity is spreading lies. _I’m_ the one that got away.”

“You guys actually _dated_? I thought you were just hung up on him.”

Dream stopped and slumped onto the ground, “Technically we never dated.”

“Technically?”

Dream sighs and lifts an arm for dramatics before dropping it lamley, “ _Technically_ he doesn’t know I’m in love with him,” Sapnap really wishes he could laugh and brighten the mood and make a joke but, “I’m just like you, Snapmap.”

Sapnap laughs without humor, “Call me Snapmap again and we’ll have issues.”

Dream chuckles but it lacks his usual energy, “What a hopeless pair we are.”

Sapnap sits on the ground and wraps his arm around Dream, “What a hopeless pair we are,” Dream drops his head onto Sapnap’s shoulder and they sit together through unrequited love. Sapnap thinks about how being close to Dream doesn’t burn the same way being close to Karl does. Sapnap thinks about how Dream most certainly feels the same but about George. Oh what a hopeless pair they are. 

The next morning Sapnap wakes up to the sound of Quackity in his kitchen. Quackity has a distinctive volume to him. He demands attention; he is way too exuberant to ignore. So when Sapnap hears plates clinking and excited laughter he already knows who has decided to use his kitchen as some kind of lab. Honestly, Quackity’s cooking adventures always end in disaster. Sapnap also wakes up suffocating because Dream has decided to sleep on him like some type of large cat. Although cuddling with the homies is always great, it is way too hot and a bright strip of sunlight has weaseled its way through the blinds directly into Sapnaps eyes. He needs to get up and prevent Quackity from burning down his apartment but he is so tangled with Dream he doesn’t know where to start. Normally he’d just shove the demon off, but last night was rough for both of them and Sapnap plans to be a little nicer today. Maybe ease up on the teasing just a bit, just until they’ve eaten breakfast. Then he’ll make fun of Dream for being whipped and Dream will taunt him right back and they’ll both pretend that they’re not drowning in unrequited love. 

He pokes Dream's face, “Dream,” Dream groans and shifts, “Dream get off me you big baby.”

Dream rolls over enough that Sapnap can wiggle out from his grasp, but he still remains solidly asleep. Sapnap tiredly walks out to the kitchen to find Quackity and Karl trying to get a freezer waffle out of the toaster with a fork. Quackity’s grin is wicked when he looks at Sapnap, “Did you have fun with Dreamy-poo last night?”

Sapnap groans and opens the fridge, hoping to find something decent to eat. He pretends not to notice how Karl is looking anywhere but him, “Shut up, you’re literally about to electrocute yourself with a fork.”

Karl giggles at that and Quackity huffs, “It wouldn’t kill me anyway.”

“Yeah but I don’t want my apartment burned down.” He grabs milk out of the fridge and makes his way over to the pantry.

“You can say you’re worried about me, I won’t tell Dream.”

Karl laughs stiffly, “C’mon Q, you know Sap and Dream aren’t like that.”

Karl is looking at Sapnap for confirmation, Sapnap is pouring his cereal into a bowl, “Thank you Karl,” Sapnap pauses, “Besides, Dream is way too high maintenance for me.”

Quackity rolls his eyes, “Karl’s only siding with you because he’s jealous.”

Sapnap asks “Of what?” at the same time Karl loudly protests, “Am not!”

Quackity elects to ignore Karl and raises his eyebrows suggestively, “Your nonexistent escapades obviously,” Karl sputters and Sapnap just sighs.

“It is way too early for this you menace,” he pours the milk and goes to get a spoon.

Quackity grabs the milk carton and takes a sip, “I can’t believe you pour cereal first, like a heathen.”

Spanap looks at him blankly, “I will kick you out of my apartment.” Quackity laughs loudly, “Everything, and I mean _everything_ you just did and said is so disturbingly wrong.”

Kale laughs, “Ohhhh, Q’s going to the dog house.”

Quackity grumbles, “I wasn’t the one jealous of goddamn _Dream_ earlier.”

Karl goes fabulously red and Sapnap thinks he couldn’t be cuter. Karl hisses out, “I was not _jealous_. Can we just drop it?”

Quackity grins suggestively, “Whatever you say, loverboy.”

“Oh my God, you are literally the worst.”

Sapnap, still tired and emotionally drained, eats his cereal while Quackity and Karl bicker over who knows what. Eventually Dream emerges from the room. He looks like he was thrown into a washing machine, and then haphazardly put in the sun to dry. His hair is sticking up in every direction and his clothes are rumpled. Quackity runs to his side and swings an arm over his shoulder. Dream tries and fails to push him off, too tired to properly run away from his antics, “Did you have fun last night?”

Dream blearly blinks his eyes, “What the hell is he on about?”

Quackity answers despite the question being clearly directed at anyone but him, “You and our precious little Sapnap canoodling of course.”

“Oh come on, I would never canoodle with Sapnap.”

Sapnap puts a hand to his heart, “Never bro?”

Dream gives him a look that says I’m too tired for your bullshit, “Never.”

“Honestly I’m hurt.”

Quackity is cackling as he pokes Dream’s face, “He’s too hung up on his sweet little deity to care.”

Both Sapnap and Dream stiffen and Karl has been remarkably quiet this entire time. The joke falls flat. Dream runs a hand over his face and groans. Sapnap laughs awkwardly, “He stopped by.”

Karl and Quackity’s heads both whip towards Dream at breakneck speed. 

“When?!” Quackity shrieks.

Sapnap answers for Dream, “Yesterday, he came to investigate an illegal demon summoner.”

Karl finally speaks, “I blame Dream for that.”

“Why me?”

“Because it's always you, Dream.”

“That's not true.”

“Well,” Sapnap interrupts, “To be fair he seemed to figure out whatever he needed once I told him Dream had been here.”

“You told him I was here?”

“I thought that much was obvious!”

“Not really! I thought you just evaded questions and got him to leave or something.” Dream looks at Sapnap accusingly, “Why would you tell him I was here?”

Sapnap throws his hands up, “I didn’t know what it would do! He was asking questions and I was just answering!”

Dream groans loudly and drops onto the floor like a child throwing a tantrum, “Now I’ll have to do so much paperwork,” He sinks further into the ground, “Please God let me disappear.”

Karl laughs, “Be careful what you wish for. The Big Man has been looking for an excuse to get rid of you for centuries,” Dream just whines in response. 

Sapnap, feeling a bit bad for Dream, walks over to where Dream is currently trying to blend further into the kitchen tiles. He reaches out a hand as an offer for Dream to take, “C’mon dude, get up.” Dream takes his hand and pulls Sapnap down so that they are both lying on the floor in a jumble, “We had our little pity party last night Dream, c’mon up time.”

“It’s never up time for me.”

Quackity cakcles and decides to lay down on the other side of Dream, “Oh you sad little demon.”

Dream huffs, “The only little one here is you.”

They all laugh as Quackity vehemently denies being small, but one voice is still farther away from the group. Sapnap turns to look at Karl and gestures for him to come join their cuddle puddle. Karl hesitantly walks over, but as soon as he’s there he throws himself across all of them. Sapnap kinda wishes Karl had just laid down next to him but he shakes himself of the thought. Right now they’re all just friends. Right now they’re comforting Dream. Right now is not the time to wish that Karl had chosen to cuddle with him and him only. 

The rest of the day they spend together because apparently when Dream goes back to Hell, he will be stuck there for around two weeks as punishment for breaking whatever rule he broke. Sapnap isn’t real clear on what's happening and Quackity tells him it will probably be more like one week because the higher ups have never ever managed to make Dream stay in house arrest for more than nine days. 

Because Dream is stuck in Hell for a while, Quackity decided to martyr and make sure Dream didn’t lose his mind while stuck in a small space. Sapnap feels a bit bad that Hell has to deal with the two of them at the same time but he assumes the higher ups have ways of dealing with whatever shenanigans the demons try to pull. Because Quackity and Dream are chilling in Hell, he and Karl have been hanging out alone everyday. Just like the beginning.

Sapnap is lying on the couch and Karl is positioned in between his legs. Sapnap is on his phone as Karl drifts off into sleep. It’s very pleasant and Sapnap feels so soft despite the fact that his leg is cramping up. It doesn’t matter, he doesn’t want Karl to take his shifting around as a reason to move away. Sapnap craves this closeness. Karl, with eyes closed and voice airy giggles, “Just like the beginning.” Sapnap just hums in response, Karl continues, “Y’know sometimes I really,” he yawns, “I really miss it.”

Sapnap already knows but he asks anyway, “Miss what?”

Karl opens his eyes, “When it was just us,” And that's so unfair that Karl can just say things like that. Sure, he’s sleep-drunk but it messes with Sapnaps head. It makes Sapnap want to confess quietly just to see what happens. In these moments he feels like Karl might kiss him back. That’s very alarming and not at all ok because Sapnap doesn’t have much impulse control and Karl is very kissable. He restrains himself.

“Why is that?”

Karl is half asleep at this point, he’s probably not even processing what he’s saying but it still makes Sapnap’s heart race, “I don’t like sharing you,” Karl makes grabby hands in the air, “Quackity is so mean talking about you and Dream.” 

Sapnap sets his phone down and runs his fingers through Karls hair, occasionally bumping his hands against Karls horns. It makes Karl shiver and Sapnap stops before Karl grabs his wrist and tells him to continue, “Quackity’s just an asshole. We all know Dream is in love with his angel buddy.”

Karl’s smile is full of relief and its intoxicating, “Good, good. You’re too perfect for Dream anyway.”

Sapnap laughs, “I’m nowhere near perfect.”

Karl shakes his head, “No you are,” He looks up at Sapnap, “You are so beautiful.”

Sapnap’s face is on fire and his hands have stopped moving. It’s all too much. It’s so warm in the room and it's only them in the world. Karl is looking at Sapnap so sincerely and Sapnap is staring back. This is all he’s wanted. It feels like an eternity before Sapnap is finally able to respond. Sapnap pokes Karl’s face and laughs, “Don’t make me kiss you.” Karl giggles and the spell is broken. They’re just friends again. Friends who jokingly flirt and occasionally drop a compliment that's a little too genuine. Sapnap wants so badly. What happens when he can’t contain his love anymore? What happens if he confesses and Karl runs away? What happens if he’s alone again? Before Karl, even before Dream and Quackity; Sapnap had friends, but never like this. He was a likable guy and he could go and hang out with people but he had never felt this close to another person. He never had best friends. He never had people he could trust his soul with. A little strange that his first real friends are demons. A little wild that his first real love was divine. (A fallen angel that's what Karl is, Sapnap is just happy Karl fell into his kitchen). Karl’s breathing starts to even out and Sapnap eventually falls asleep as well, holding Karl in his arms. 

Time with Karl is everything Sapnap could have asked for, but he will admit, by the time Dream and Quackity return he had missed them. Just a little bit, just an eensy weensy miniscule amount. He will obviously never be telling them that because Dream will get an even bigger head and Quackity will endlessly bring it up.

Sapnap is attempting to cook a real dinner for once when Quackity poofs himself into his apartment, “Hey babe.”

“Hi idiot.”

Quackity whines and kicks his legs like a child, “I don’t understand why Karl likes you. You’re so mean.”

Sapnap grabs out a knife to cut the vegetables, “I’m only mean to people who deserve it.”

“That is offensive on so many levels.”

“Good.”

Quackity whines again before getting distracted with Sapnaps games. He had offered to buy all of the demons some portable games, since he knows the influx of cash from streaming was because of their funky little demon powers giving him better luck. He wasn’t sure if it was just Karl, or if the other two helped as well but it wouldn’t hurt to buy his friends their own shit so they could stop messing with his. Honestly he thinks Quackity is half entertained by the game and half entertained by absolutely ruining Sapnaps progress. It's frankly annoying. Sapnap is too focused with cooking tonight that he can’t exactly prevent Quackity from wreaking havoc tonight. He at least hopes the food is worth it. Sapnap never finishes the recipe (a shame really, he had wanted to make chicken curry and it sounded so delicious in all the video recipes he watched) because a certain angel decides to visit his home again. 

Quackity is grinning maniacally when he sees George appear in the living room, “Do my eyes deceive me? Is that… Gogy!?” The fake awe in his voice makes George roll his eyes.

“If I had known you were going to be here I wouldn’t have come.”

“Gogy that is so offensive. You and Sapnap are officially out the gang.”

“What gang? I’ve only talked to the human once before and you and I are not friends.”

Quackity pretends to cry as Sapnap calls over, “The human has a name you know.”

George turns to him, “Sorry,” he looks and sounds half-sarcastic and Sapnap can’t tell if that's just how he is or if he’s trying to be just a little rude, “I don’t typically associate myself with mortal beings.”

Spanap raises an eyebrow, “Ok then why are you here?”

George flushes, stammers, and fails to answer. Quackity stops his fake crying and wraps an arm around Georges shoulder, he speaks in a very obviously fake British accent, “Gogy wanted to see Dweam,” George raises up his shoulders and looks like he wants to disappear, “Isn’t that right Gogy?”

George straightens himself out and unconvincingly attempts to justify his presence, “Yes, I’m here for Dream,” Quakcity ohh's and laughs, George’s blush is getting darker, “I am here to make sure he is fulfilling his house arrest.” 

Quackity is laughing so hard he can’t breathe now and Sapnap looks at George incredulously, “So you came to my apartment.”

“You came to the human’s apartment!”

George, evidently stubborn, stands his ground, “Yes.”

Quackity sounds like a hyena with asthma and Sapnap is laughing lightly, “Whatever you say Gogy.”

George screeches “Don’t call me that!” at the same time Sapnap smells burning. They order takeout. George leaves when Quackity and Sapnap invite him to cuddle. 

George starts to come back more regularly. He looks like a lost puppy and acts like he’s there strictly for business and to keep an eye on Dream, but Sapnap sees through it. He sees the way George’s eyes soften and his smile gets wider. He notices how George and Dream melt into each other's touch. He catches the blushes and the stammering and all the lovesick behavior displayed by both. He can tell George comes to his apartment in hopes of running into Dream because he’s visibly less excitable when Dream isn’t around. Sapnap knows it goes the other way too. Sapnap is also a little pissed that he let Dream convince him he was leading this epic unrequited love story when he and George are so deeply infatuated with each other it's sickening. Although he understands that Dream is oblivious and dramatic which means that he probably thinks that when George holds his hand and plays with his hair and hugs him so tenderly it's just a show of loyalty and a long standing friendship. So when Dream comes to him for comfort, Sapnap always lends a shoulder. He’s slightly bitter that Dream has a requited love, but it’s fine. He’ll be happy for his friends. It’s sweet how they dance around each other, if not somewhat obnoxious at times. (It is annoying that Sapnap knows if Dream and George came in holding hands, he still would not be able to tell if they finally sorted themselves out or not). 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Level two: completed.
> 
> What did you guys think of Sapnap's little revelation and Gogy's introduction? I really enjoyed writing this bit and I hope you enjoyed reading it :]
> 
> Also friendly reminder to hydrate and get some rest if you need to !
> 
> <3


	3. love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl cries, Sapnap mopes, and it all works itself out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter !! Thank you all for the lovely comments, they brighten my day :]
> 
> I hope you enjoy the conclusion to this little story of mine.
> 
> <3

Karl is crying. Sapnap doesn’t know why and doesn't know how to help. It feels like part of his soul was ripped out and he was forced to watch someone crush it under their heel a thousand times over. It was 2:00 PM on Wednesday and they had been hanging out normally when Karl started to cry. Sapnap immediately went to hug him and time has been passing weird ever since. He can’t tell if it’s been three minutes or thirty. Doesn’t matter. Sapnap would stay by Karl’s side forever if it meant he felt even the slightest bit better. He rubs calming circles into Karl’s back, “I don’t know what's going on but you can talk to me. I promise I’ll be here for you.”

Karl’s voice is wet and broken, “I feel like I’m lying,” he looks at Sapnap, “I feel like I’m lying all the time.”

Sapnap puts a hand on his cheek, “Why?” and when Karl pauses, he backtracks, “Only if you want to tell me. It’s ok if you don’t want to talk.”

Karl laughs but it’s mangled, “Why are you so supportive?”

_ Because I love you. Because you’re the best thing that's ever happened to me. Because you deserve it.  _ Sapnap takes a breath, “Because I care about you, man.” He brushes Karl’s cheek, “And because my life is a whole lot better with you in it.”

Karl’s breathing is uneven and his smile is wobbly, “I’ll smooch you.” It’s said like a joke but there's so much honesty in the room that it feels out of place. There’s something more there. There’s a little admission hidden in those words but Sapnap refuses to get his hopes up. He refuses to read into something that's not there, especially when, in this moment Karl is crying and he needs to be comforting his friend. 

Sapnap just laughs and doesn’t notice that Karl’s smile is a little more strained after, “Please Karl,” he holds Karls face in his hands, “Tell me what's going on, if you need to.”

Karl breathes and it’s shaky, but he’s not sobbing anymore so Sapnap considers it a win, “I’m afraid you won’t like me anymore.”

Sapnap scoffs, “Karl, I could never stop liking you.”

Karl blushes slightly and then pulls his face from Sapnap’s hands. With tear tracks just barley beginning to dry, he stands in the middle of the room and begins to shift. The small horns on his head begin to grow, as the wings on his back start to take up more space. His complexion purples and his skin looks significantly tougher. The clothes on his body start to burn a little, most likely due to Karl’s body temperature raising. Karl opens his eyes and they are black where they should be white. They are still beautiful and he looks at Sapnap like he holds his heart in his hands. Like whatever Sapnap will say next can break him. Sapnap doesn’t think he deserves that much influence. Karl breaks down and starts crying again, “Please don’t hate me.”

And then Sapnap is rushing over to his side and cradling Karl’s face in his hands. They are burning. Karl is lighting him on fire and Sapnap couldn’t care less, “I would never hate you Karl,” He brushes Karl’s cheek and the skin on the pads of his fingers becomes even more red and angry, “I could never hate you.”

“But-but I’m ugly and scary like this and I could hurt you,” Karl is pleading to him for something. Sapnap doesn’t know what, but if it's hatred and disdain, Sapnap would never give it to him. 

Sapnap laughs and maybe he’s crying a bit now too because it comes out wet and a bit choked, “If I’m being honest I kind of knew you would have another form. It just makes sense and George happened to confirm my suspicions the first time he visited. Told me if I looked at his true form I’d die because it’s too pure or something. I figured demons would have a true form too.”

Karl cries and smiles. His teeth are sharp, “I don’t know if I would consider this a true form,” he looks at his hands, “they’re both equally a part of me.”

Sapnap nods, “I think I understand.”

“I just- I just couldn't stand feeling like I was lying to you,” Karl looks directly into his eyes, “You’re important to me.” 

Sapnap feels high and he wants to kiss Karl so badly. So he does, he pecks Karl on the cheek and smiles so wide as Karl giggles. Sapnap feels infinitely lighter, “I’m happy you trust me enough to show me, but your clothes are burning.” Karl exclaims a small oh and starts to shift back, Sapnap runs to his closet and grabs some clothes for Karl to borrow, “These should fit you well enough,” Karl smiles, accepts them, and leaves to go change. It is then that Sapnap starts to feel his hands burning. They are red and agitated and Sapnap needs some cold water now. 

Karl walks into Sapnap holding his hands under the faucet. His face immediately drops, “I hurt you.”

“No no no no no no no,” Karl opens his mouth and Sapnap cuts him off, “You needed help and I wasn’t really thinking. You didn’t hurt me, plus it’s not that bad.”

Karl grimaces and then walks over and takes Sapnap’s hands in his own, “I can fix this,” Karl must be doing something demon-y to heal his hands but Sapnap has gotten so used to all this divine magic stuff that it doesn’t capture his attention like it used to. However, Sapnap will probably never get used to being close to Karl. Their breath is mingling and his face feels hotter than his burning hands. Sapnap wants to run away and hide and get closer at the same time. He wants to reach out and touch Karl’s face again but Karl is holding his hands. Sapnap suddenly starts to feel self-conscious of his staring because Karl is so concentrated on healing his hands and Sapnap can’t manage to tear his eyes away from Karl. His existence is addictive. 

Eventually they break apart. Eventually comes all too soon and way too late at once. Sapnap, still blushing furiously speedwalks to the kitchen in hopes to calm down his racing heart. Karl is left standing semi-awkwardly. Sapnap opens the pantry and finds a bag of microwavable popcorn, he holds it up and turns back to Karl, “Feel like a movie?”

Karl smiles wide and flings himself on the couch, “You know it.”

Sapnap breathes in and out. He counts to ten. He types in the correct amount of minutes to the microwave. He’s ok again. Sapnap can handle this, he can live with being in love and he will not combust from overwhelming emotions. He’s just not that type of guy. They cuddle together on the couch. Karl falls asleep on Sapnap’s shoulder and Sapnap plays with his hair. They’re friends and it will all be ok. 

It will  _ not _ all be ok. Karl is in love with someone. Two weeks after Karl had his little breakdown, Sapnap is lying on the kitchen floor with Dream and contemplating if life even has a point. If it's all one big sick joke. He guesses he could ask George, the guy is an angel, he probably would have an answer. Sapnap doesn’t actually want answers though. He wants to wallow in misery because Karl is in love. 

“You do realize that he’s in love with you right?” Sapnap groans and puts his hands on his face, “It's so obvious.”

“You, of all people, should not be telling me anything is obvious in the realm of love.”

“Hey I’m good with other people's love lives, not my own.”

“I can tell.”

“That’s hurtful,” Dream pretends to pause thoughtfully, “What did he say anyway?”

Sapnap feels like curling up in a ball and melting onto the floor. It was such an uncomfortable floor. Maybe he could focus on that instead. Sapnap then realizes he should probably answer Dream’s question but it’s painful and everything is bad, “Can’t you just like,” he waves a hand in the air, “read my thoughts and figure it out for yourself?”

“Maybe. But I’ve never tried it before so it could be dangerous.”

“I don’t care.”

“And, I think this is something you need to talk through.”

Sapnap disagrees immensely but he tells Dream anyway. He tells Dream how Karl had appeared in his kitchen that morning and pounced on him with the energy of a golden retriever puppy. He tells Dream how Karl, perfect, beautiful Karl, had broken his heart on a frigid morning. He tells Dream how he smiled and laughed and teased Karl for falling in love with a human. And he tells Dream how once Karl had left he sat on the floor in harsh silence, surrounded by what could have been, written into the cool linoleum. Everywhere he went in his small little apartment contained a piece of a memory with Karl. Sapnap wouldn’t have it any other way, but it was particularly painful after discovering Karl held affections for some unnamed stranger. When he’s done with it all Dream smiles at him. It's all out in the air, Sapnap had just described how his chest aches, how his body felt sore from phantom touches, and how his heart was bruised black and blue; and Dream has the audacity to  _ fucking  _ smile.

“He’s in love with you Sapnap.”

“He’s not.”

“But he is,” Dream looks at him, “How many humans do you think Karl knows?”

Sapnap really doesn’t want to think about it, “I don’t know,” he grumbles, “enough to fall in love with one of them.”

“He only knows one, Sapnap.”

Sapnap feels hope swell in his chest. He can’t handle this right now, “Please Dream,” Sapnap feels watery. Like he’s liquid that is smeared on the floor, waiting to make someone slip. His head is buoyant in that achey, away from earth way, “Please, I can’t get my hopes up. That’s just unfair to me and him.”

“If you want my opinion,”

“I honestly don’t know if I do.”

Dream laughs but it’s quiet, soft. Sapnap feels like breakable glass when Dream is sedated like that, “If you want my opinion, I think that he wants you to bring it up first. He’s just as scared as you are because he’s just as oblivious.”

Sapnap searches Dream’s face for a lie but he can’t seem to find one. It all feels so unfair. Sapnap, ever since he realized he was in love with Karl, spent every second making sure he kept his feelings and hopes in check. It seems impossible that there might be a chance. But Karl trusted Sapnap enough to show him a second face and Dream wouldn’t lie to him maliciously. 

It takes three days for Karl to come back. Sapnap never really learned how to summon and he doesn’t want to get in trouble with George so he is forced to wait for Karl. (He’s been waiting for Karl for a lot longer than three days and he was prepared to wait more, he’ll be fine). Those three days are spent agonizing over what he could say and what to do when it went wrong.  _ If  _ it went wrong. Sapnap is trying to be positive but everything feels like it’s crumbling around him and the waiting has made his anxiety build to the point of explosion. Hey, that’s an idea: if he exploded he wouldn’t have to confess to Karl. 

Sapnap is making a sandwich when Karl appears in his kitchen. It’s like their first meeting because of the silence and the food. Except this time Sapnap’s already working on a second sandwich and he’s fearful for his heart, not his life. Sapnap hands Karl the sandwich and breaks the silence, “You’re in love.”

Karl nods, “I am.”

It's uncomfortable. Sapnap doesn’t remember a time when he was uncomfortable with Karl, he doesn’t like it, “Will you,” he pauses, this is important. He wants to say the correct thing, instead he blurts out, “Will you tell me about them?”

Karl’s face is slightly flushed and for a moment Sapnap thinks he’s going to outright refuse and leave. But at this point they’re both aware of something. There’s a certain energy that’s taken hold of the room and if Karl left now, they would never be able to return to how things were. Karl nods, “He is,” Karl pauses searching for the right words to place in the right sentences, “He is beautiful. He is loud and bright and sarcastic, and he makes me want to be better,” Sapnap feels emotion welling up inside him, “I never really understood the appeal of staring at a person until I met him. I didn’t get it when Dream would wax poetic about romantic stuff but he makes me want to be greater than Shakespeare,” Karl laughs from inside a daydream, “He’s funny too. And fearless. Well, maybe not fearless but he’s open. If I had appeared in anyone else's kitchen, I don’t think I could have fallen love,” Sapnap’s breath hitches and there's that pesky hope again, “Did I mention he’s beautiful? I mean beautiful in a way that’s captivating because it’s not all looks, it’s charisma and kindness too. He’s the type of person who commands attention without being a nimrod. And he’s way too humble about how attractive he is,” Karl looks directly into his eyes, “Everytime we joke about kissing I wish I could actually grab his face and kiss him until we both ran out of air.” They’re impossibly close now, “I love him more than I have loved anything,” Karl’s hand gently cradles Sapnap’s face, “And he makes the best sandwiches.”

“Don’t make me kiss you,” Karl smiles so wide and draws their faces even closer together. Sapnap can feel himself grinning. Karl is intoxicating and Sapnap is so weak for pretty demons with candy sweet smiles.

They kiss and Sapnap thinks that if Karl wasn’t a demon, all of the angels would have come down to play music. There are no fireworks and the kiss is messy but it feels like coming home. Karl is soft and impossibly warm. His lips are a bit chapped and it’s perfect all the same. Sapnap feels serene in a fragile way. They pull away to breathe, faces flushed, hearts beating, and lighter than air. Their eyes lock and a laugh bubbles out of Sapnap which causes Karl to start giggling uncontrollably. He doesn’t know exactly what they’re laughing at but it’s just for them. It’s a little secret they share with each other. Maybe it’s joy. All Sapnap knows is that Karl is wonderful and his, just as much as he is Karl’s. They belong to each other so they will continue to laugh and kiss and jokingly flirt. They will hold hands under the table as they tease Dream for being whipped. They will melt into each other on movie nights and no matter how much their friends coo and aww they will not be embarrassed. Karl will give Sapnap good luck for no cost. Sapnap will repay him in affection anyway. Well, affection and lots and lots of sandwiches. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Level three: completed, game: defeated.
> 
> Thank you for reading until the end, I very much appreciate it :]
> 
> If you want to leave ideas in the comments for a story you might want to see in the future, I would absolutely love that! (I need inspiration :'D )
> 
> Remember to hydrate, rest, and stay healthy <3


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